Automatic pilot mechanism.



A. J. MACY.

AUTOMATIC PILOT MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED AUG.8. I913. meuawzn on.18, 1916.

1,228,364. Patented May 29, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W E EEEE A. J. MACY.

AUTOMATIC PILOT MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.8, 191s. RENEWED OCT. I8. 1916.

1,228,364, Patented May,29,191 7.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A. J. MACY.

AUTOMATIC PILOT MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-8, I913. RENEWED OCT. 18. 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- [mil A. J. MACY.

AUTOMATIC PILOT MECHANISM. APPLlCATION FILED AUG-B. 19:3. RENEWED ocT.18. 1916.

1 ,228,364. Patented May29, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

one.

ALFRED J. MACY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC PILOT MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Application filed August 8, 1913, SerialNo. 783,683. Renewed October 18,1916. Serial No. 126,453.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED J. MACY, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticPilot Mechanism; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full.clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanyingdrawings, and to the numbers of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

The proper guiding of a vehicle on land or water or in open tracts whereland marks or other bearings are unavailable, has necessitated the useof a magnetic compass to properly locate the vehicle upon its truecourse.

Thisbeing the case. a pilot must be con- I stantly' at the hehn of thesame to correct any deviations thereof from its course.

This IIIVEIllflOIl relates to mechanism associated with a magneticcompass needle whereby the steering means of a ship or vehicle are setin operation by power driven means when said'ship or vehicle deviatesfrom its course-to restore the same thereto.

It is an object of this invention to provide an automatic pilotmechanism for a vehicle which will act when adjusted to maintain thesame in a predetermined course.

It is also an object of this'invention, to provide a device actingmagnetically to maintain a vehicle in a predetermined course.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device whereinmagnetically controlled means serve to set in operation power. drivenmechanisms for the steering means of a vehicle, when said vehicle isdeviated from a predetermined course to restore the same thereto.

It' is also an object'of this invention to provide electrical contactmeans associated with a. compass dial, said contacts adapted to beclosed by a compass needle to thereby close an electrical circuit. andwith magnetically operating power driven means connected to the steeringmeans of a vehicle and set in operation by said compass to properlysteer the vehicle.

It is also an object of this invention to provide electrical meansassociated with a compass, whereby a vehicle to which said compass isattached may be maintained in a true course at all times, any deviationtherefrom being instantly corrected by.

mechanism set in operation through said electrical means to properlyguide the vehicle.

It is also an object of this invention to provide automatic pilotmechanism associated with a compass needle, the electrical elements ofsaid pilot mechanism being so disposed adjacent said compass needle asto. exert no counteracting magnetic effects to cause a declination ofthe compass needle.

It is also an object of this invention to construct an electricallyoperated magnetically controlled steering means for a vehicle, whereinthe electrical connections are so disposed as to exert no magneticinfluence on said magnetic controlling means.

It is furthermore an object of this invention to provide a device havinga rotatable table with indications thereon and capable of adjustment toany desired position wherein it may be retained by suitable clampingmeans to indicate the proper course for a vehicle to which it isattached,

and magnetic means associated therewith adapted to close electricalcontacts to correct any deviations of a vehicle from its course.

It is finally an object of this invention to construct a deviceconsisting of few parts, and simple in operation and adjustment.

The invention (in a preferred form) is hereinafter more fully described.and defined in the accompanying drawings and specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is diagrammatic top plan view of a boat showing a deviceembodying the principles of my invention adapted thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view the device.

Fig. 3 is a section on line'33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Fi 3.

Fig- 5 is an enlargedfragmentary section showing the detailedarrangement of one of the coils and the electrical'contact point, withparts shown in section and parts in elevation.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section similar to Fig. 4, showing therelation of the electrical contacts and. the compass needle.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 77 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the magnetic clutch members.

Fig. 9 is an end elevation thereof.

a to a steering wheel 7.

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line 101O of Fig. 8. v

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the insulated base member for said clutchmembers showing the contact brushes thereon.

Fig. 12 is a section taken on line 1212 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 16is a view similar to Fig. 3 013a modification.

Fig. 17 is a section on line 1717 of Fig. 16. j

Fig. 18 is a top plan view of a modified form;

Fig. 19 is a schematic of electrical con-' nections used in amodifiedform of the device. X

Fig. 20 is an enlarged fragmentary section similar to Fig. 6, showingthe detailed arrangement of one of the coils and the electrical contactpoint, with parts shown in section and parts in elevation.

As shown inthe drawings: I

For convenience the device is illustrated as attached to a boat, denotedby the reference numeral 1, although it is obvious that it is adaptableto any type of vehicle. The boat is provided with a power plantindicated by 2, and a compass control element 3, magnetically operatingmechanisms thrown into operation thereby denoted by the referencenumeral 4, and steering cables 5, connected thereto and to a rudder 6,and also The compass control for the magnetic clutches comprises abracket 8, and extending therethrough and insulated therefrom is anelectrical conductor supporting pin 9, for a compassneedle 10. Aninsulating rotatable table 11, having an extended boss 12, is journaledon said pin9, and on its upper surface is provided with indicationsdenoting the points of-the compass, and secured on said boss 12, arecontact rings 13, and '14, respectively. Secured on the upper surface ofsaid table 11, preferably on each side of the north end of said needle10, are coils 15 and 16, having non-magnetic cores 45, of fiber or othernon-magnetic material secured in short upright standards 46, on the faceof said table 11, and with contact points 47 recessed into the adjacentends of the respective core members and in electrical communication withthe ends of the respective coils.15 and 16. Embedded in said insulatingtable and extending to the respective contact rings on the boss thereofare conductors'15 and 16 respectively leading to the coils 15 and 16.Also mounted on said bracket 8, and insulated therefrom are contactbrushes 17 and 18, respectively, adapted to contact the rings 13 and 14.

A frame 19, is mounted adjacent the power plant 2, and supports themagnetic clutches 4, already mentioned, each of which comprises a gear20, secured upon a shaft 21, and having fastened on the inner facethereof a disk 22, bearing a plurality of electro-magnets 23, connectedin multiple to one another.

disk 22, and said gear 20, and projects over said electro-magnets toinclose the same, and mounted on the outer periphery thereof andinsulated therefrom is a contact ring 24, to which one terminal of theelectromagnets is connected. The other terminal of said electro-magnetsis grounded at any convenient point on the device.

Another gear 25, is slidably and rotatacured on the inner face thereof,a magnetic disk 26, such that when said clectro-magnets are energizedsaid disk 26, being held thereby, will constrain said gear 25, to rotatetherewith. A drum shaft 27, is journaled at one of itsends in said frame19, and at its other end in an outer bearing 28, said shaft havingrigidly secured thereon a drum 29. Keyed on the inner end of said drumshaft is a gear 30, which meshes at all times With each of said gears25, secured on the respective clutch shafts 21. Each of said large gears20, mesh with each other and one of said shafts 21, is extended andprovided with a worm gear 31, which meshes with a worm 32, secured onthe crank shaft 33, of said power plant 2, to be driven thereby.

Thus it is apparent that each of said shafts 21, may rotate continually,due to the intermeshing of the respective gears 20, thereon, and wheneither one or the other of the magnetic clutches are energized, one ofsaid gears 25, being caused to rotate thereby, will cause rotation ofsaid drum shaft in on'e'direction, and the other gear 25, when drivenwill likewise cause rotation thereofin the opposite direction, ofcourse, it being impossible for both of said magnetic clutches to beenergized at the same time.

An outer cylindrical member 23", is secured between said bly mounted onsaid shaft 21, and has se- Said frame 19, is mounted on an insulatof aconductor 39, to the supporting pin 9,

. nism from the compass contacts. The rudder controlling cables 5, arewound about the drums on said steering wheel 7, and likewise trainedover and around the drum 29, mounted on said magnetic clutch device, sothat the boat may be either steered by manually turning the steeringwheel 7, of course ,with said switch 40, in open position or when saidswitch 40, is closed any deviations of a boat from a predeterminedcourse will close an electrical contact, thereby setting in operationone of the magnetic clutches, and turning the rudder in a direction tocorrect the deviation of a boat from its course. A clamping screw 41, isthreaded into the upper portion of said bracket 8, and is adapted toclamp against said rotatable table 11, after the boat has been di-'rected in its course, indicated by the mark 42, on the upper surface ofsaid supporting bracket and the table 11, having been moved intoaposition with the electrical contacts symmetrically disposed about atrue north and south axis thereof, or on each side of the compassneedle.

In the modified form illustrated in the Figs. 16 to 19, inclusive, thehub 12, of the rotatable table 11, is slightly longer and is providedwith a third brush contact member 10, adapted to be contacted by a brush10*, secured on said bracket 8, and a contact member 10 is mounted onsaid rotatable table 11, with the contact portion thereof coaxial withthe said supporting pin' 9. In place of the compass needle, a solenoid10, is provided and the terminals of the winding thereon, endrespectively at a lower and upper, portion respectively of saidsolenoid, one terminal ending in a point 10 which rests in a suitableaxial aperture in said pin 9, thus affording electrical connectiontherethrough.

The other terminal of said winding is connected to a pin 10, whichprojects upwardly into an axial aperture in said contact member 10*,afi'ording electrical communication therethrough and thence to saidbrush 10 by means of suitable conductors extending downwardly throughthe hub 12 of said rotatable table. The object of using a solenoid" 10,in place of a compass'needle, is to obtain a magnetic pointer or magnetof greater strength than a permanent magnetic compass needle, thestrength of course being governed by the number of turns of wirethereon' and thecurrent flowing therethrough, so it is obvious that thesolenoid may be made a magnet of great deal greater strength than thecompass needle, and therefore increasing the sensitiveness of the.

device.

tact energizing source of E. M. F. 38, being For this purpose a sourceof E. M. F. 42*, is at all times in circuit with said solenoid throughlead wires 43, and 44, respectively, the lead 43, and the lead 39, fromthe conjoined and connected to said supporting pin 9, of the device. Ofcourse, the same coils l5 and 16, are used with the same connections asin the prior construction described with reference to the compassneedle, the only diiference being the replacement of the "compassneedle, by a solenoid and a separate means for energizing said solenoidat all times. The electrical connections leading to the solenoid aredisposed oppositely to one another in all their. relations so that thestray fields created by the wires carrying the current are neutralizedby one another and will have no tendency to effect the operation of thesolenoid as a compass needle.

The operation is as follows:

The bracket 8, of course is secured permanently at a convenient positionon the boat or vehicle to which it is attached, and with the indication42, in line with or in a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of thevehicle. \Vhen the course of the ship is determined. for instance'inthis case shown as true north, the rotatable table 11, is rotated withthe north character thereon radially in line with said indication 42,and assuming the compass needle to point true north, the variouselements will be in the position shown in Fig. 2. However, should thevehicle be directed at any other point of the compass, such a pointhaving been previously predetermined before the start of the vehicle,the rotatable table 11, is moved until the corresponding indicationthereon is in line with said mark 42, and is then clamped by means ofsaid screw 41, from further rotation. If, for any reason, the vehicleshould not be directed truly upon its course, the

compass needle will bear against one of said contacts 47, therebyclosing one of the electrical circuits to operate the proper magneticclutch, and cause actuation of the steering mechanism to restore thevehicle into its proper course, after which the compass needle will bedirected equidistantly between the respective contacts and out ofcontact therewith. p

' Reference to Fig. 14, will show that the respective conductors in theneighborhood of the compass needle are led to the respec- 12o 'tivecoils l5 and 16, wound on fiber tubes to compass needle, and thecontac't be broken," o

such a breaking of the contact and cessation of the electric currentwlll cause the contact field to vanish and the compass needle, due tothe earth field, will again be moved against the contact and close thecircuit, such repeated contacts serving to operate the respective clutchmechanism until the vehicle or ship is directed truly upon its course.

It is obvious that thereis no tendency for the compass needle to stickon either of the electrical contacts disposed on either side thereof.due to the creation of the magnetic field by the passage of a'currenttherethrough, and that the compass needle may oscillate from one contactto another, or to and from one contact alone, thus operating therespective magnetic clutch member to insure the maintenance of. thevehicle upon its true course.

I am aware that various details ofconstruction may be varied through awide range without departing from the principles of this invention. Itherefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted other wise thannecessitated by the 1')Il()1illll.

I claim as my invention: I v

1. In a device'of the class described the combination of a compassneedle, magnetic coils adjacent thereto, a contact associated with eachof said coils adapted to be closed by said needle to form a circuit andenergize the coil, a magnetic clutch adapted to be set in operation whena contact is closed, the field setup by the energized coil acting torepel the needle and break the circuit.

2. In a device of the class described, steering mechanisms for avehicle, power driven magnetic clutches, a compass needle adapted toclose electrical contacts to set said magnetic clutches in operation tosteer the vehicle, and magnetic means acting to repel said needle when acontact is closed to break the circuit.

3. In combination with a vehicle and steering means therefor, a compass,a rotatable table therefor, means on said table for holding the same instationary position after adjustment, magnetic coils on said tableadapted to be disposed symmetrically on each side of a compass needle,electrical connections adapted to be effected through said compassneedle and said coils, to set sald steering means in operatlon.

4. In a device of "the class described, a compass needle, a rotatabletable therefor, contact coils thereon adapted to be temporarilyenergized by contact with said compass needle, steering mechamsm for avehicle, magnetic clutches connected thereto ment.

to drive the same, and means energizing said clutches when saidelectrical contacts are closed to drive the steering mechanism of saidvehicle.

5. In a device of the class described the combination of a compassneedle, coils adjacent thereto, contacts associated with said coilsadapted to be closed by said needle to form a circuit and energize saidcoils, and steering mechanism adapted to be set in op-' eration when thecontacts are closed.

6. In a device of the class described the combination withsteering meansfor a vehicle and power driven means therefor, of a rotary plate,electrical contact coils on said plate. a. compass needle mounted onsaid plate between said coils adapted to close the circuit through saidcoils, a boss below said plate, a plurality of contact rings on saidboss, and a plurality of insulated contact brushes. mounted below saidplate adapted to contact said ringsto set said power driven means inoperation when said needle contacts said coils.

7. In a device of the class described steering means for a vehicle,power driven means therefor, electrical contacts connected to said powerdriven means, a compass needle adapted to contact said contacts to setsaid power driven means in operation, and means in circuit with saidcompass needle to repel the same from said contacts and break thecircuit to said power driven means.

8. In a device of the class described a compass needle, magnet coils,electrical contacts therefor adapted to be closed by said needle soarranged that the field created by the coils will cause breaking of saidcontacts by said needle, and steering mechanism operated by the closureof said contacts. to maintain the vehicle in a predetermined course ofmovement.

9. In a device of the class described oscillatable means, electricalcontact coils arranged to be contacted by said means so that theelectric fi'eld created by said coils Will cause breaking of saidcontacts by said.

means, and gear driven electro-magnetically controlled clutchesenergized by the closure of said contacts acting to maintain the vehiclein a predetermined course of move- In testimony whereof I have hereuntosubscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses."

ALFRED, -J. MACY.

'Witnesses:

CHARLES HILLS, J r., LEON M. REIBs'rEIN.

